Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are the result of progressive deterioration of neurons, ultimately leading to disabilities. There is no effective cure for NDDs at present; ongoing therapies are mainly aimed at treating the most bothersome symptoms. Since early treatment is crucial in NDDs, there is an urgent need for specific and sensitive biomarkers that can aid in early diagnosis of these disorders. Recently, altered expression of miRNAs has been implicated in several neurological disorders, including NDDs. miRNA expression has been extensively investigated in the cells, tissues and body fluids of patients with different types of NDDs. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for NDDs.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Friedreich's ataxia; Huntington's disease; Parkinson's disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; miRNA; multiple sclerosis; prion disease; spinal muscular atrophy; spinocerebellar ataxia.